Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-11-06
rgw FIRST PUBLISH ID
THE Right eff Translation Is Reserved.
CHAPTER xxxI-oN THE KsrL.NADz.

eIOISs OI iGQl2. - eAla LDD-hdlS 10 MOI
tressor, as they assembled the poop one
lnuruing, when the sea breeze mad died
sway and the atmosphere wss hot snd
still.
It WAS about the end Of the rainy ses-
son, and the low island Of Sanger WAS
> looming dimly on the port bow of the
Psgods, as she steamed up the RooghleP
or Hugh, as it is spelled now-but
slowly, as the entrance TO that deltoid OF
the Gauges is rendered extremely dan
eerous and difficult by the many sand
banks which frequently change their
relative positions; and as he gszed, he
thought, with an irrepressib'e glow Ct
enthusiasm, of the vast empire that laV
beyond that strip of level coxst-the en-
pire Of which Give laid the solid founda-
ton on the field OF Pisssy, where Eyre
Coote defeated Hyder, where CORVALLIS
swept M7sore, where Wellesley WCD
Asssye, and where Campbell and Outram
-0utram the Bayard of India, the lien
hearted cOuqueTor of Scinde-avenged so
simply the horrors of the Sepoy revolt.
S6ngor did not look inviting, nopart OF
it being above the reach Of high spring
tides, and its only spontaneous vegete-
ton being such as grows IN salt water
the Java fern, the Bukra palm ard won
dertul Creepers; but great fairs are held
there, though the district is sorelY in
tested by tigers. In the island of Sanger
proper, only Hindoo fdkirs live, and deem
their sanctity increased by their period of
seclusion there. But the river teens with
~Scrocodfles, and between them in the
water, snd The tigers on shore, the holy
men have often bad time OF it.
To Digby Montressor, who had been
twice out before, the scene IVES neither
new nor intere sting; but ne told Ions
dale that in 1888, when the low land they
looked on had been inundated, more thar
200 persons persisted in q few hours.
A railway has long been talked of, but
the waterway from the mouth of the
Hooghley, or the sandhesds, as they
are named, is ninety miles.
All the passengers were on deck, e.
serly securing the scenery of the river ss
the Pagoda steamed upward, and objects
on shore became more and more distinct,
till az Calcutta, the stream proves no
broader than the Thames at GTaVesend
After having had but glimpses Of the
Land, and for many many DAYS seen moth
ing but the ocean II liz varied moods,
the beautiful scenery Of the river, the deep
hues and strange forms of the tropical
foiisge, which in some places grow too
Tricky TO admit Of human habltahoD, the
Life with which the river itself reemed,
the countless small boats that studded it
Ike Insects, the ships and steamers Of all
siz and nations, with the increasing
number OF houses, all more or less Of .
somewhat European aspect all indica
y f- 10 Il, o;L
ful ct renewed interest 20 Lonsdele; yet
his mind had room for other Thoughts
thoughts Of Melanie Talbot-then so far,
far awsy, and how this arrival in India
was but the first chapter in the story of
their separation.
In due time Lonsdsle and his friend
found themselves amid the striking scenes
and splendor OF the "City Of Palaces"
and after landing at Princess Ghaut, which
is nearly opposite the great citadel and
spacious barracks Of Fort William, and
reporting themselves at headquarters
they took rooms az the chief hotel, the
Crest Eastern, and, with General Ire
msyne and others, found a welcome st
the U. S. Club, 81 ChowriDgher, as sll
Anglo-Bengalees know, and as Lonsd0le
knew, as he had served in that part of the
world before.
Chowrirgher is the British quarter, par
excellence, where the stately paIatisi
editices are constructed entirely OF brick,
plastered over with ghite chunom, which
presents surface rivalling the finest
marble, but We must avoid "Guide Book"
matter and adhere to our story.
At the U. S. Club, and elsewhere, moth
ing was talked of then but the war with
Burmah and the Bengal contingent there
for, which WAS fast being completed in
ell its detsils, and OF which the regiment
of Lonscale and Montressor formed q
psrt.
Even with the knowledge of our pre-
vious wSrs in the land of the white ele-
plant, none could quite foresee what the
result, or what the amount Of actual
fighting might he; but ell knew that there
were perils of peculiar kind to face, in
the swSmpy and pestiIentisl nature of the
country, and from asssssins aud bands
OF savage Dscoits.
All unaware IS yet that the coming
Campaign would be, If perilOus, perhaps
az iuglorious one, the two friends looked
forward keenly to the work before them,
and with the enthusiasm natural 70 their
rofession-Lonsdsle with the earnest
desire that he might achieve or do some
thing that would enhance him IN the es-
timstion of the girl he loved; and Mon
tressor in the desperate hope, or heed
lessnesS, that he might, with the sacrifice
OF bis life, forget that he had lost-but Ey
no fault of his owp-Clsire Richmond.
In the outward voyage, hurried as he
had been from port to port and place to
plsce. Montague Lonsdsle did not know
when letter from Melsnie might over |
take him, In answer to those he had post |
ed 70 her on every available occasion; |
and thus, amid the apparent silence of
their love, he could but close his eyes ct |
times and dream, or in fancy conjure up
her slender figure amid the flower beds of |
Rose Cottage, or at their meeting place |
by the river, with all its flags and water !
lilies floating In the sunshine, her violet |
gray eyes sparkling under their long |
lashes; then her winning voice would |
come to his ear and her hand seek his, |
till imagination seemed lost in reality, and |
he would start from his reveTie TO find |
himself on the busy and gay Esplansde of
Calcutta, or intent on some prossic mill |
tary DUTY, going round the soldiers mess
es, psrading the pIcquet, or visiting his |
sentries, amid the groves of trees and |
vast barrack squares of Fort William
that great fortress which wes the work of |
Give after Plassy.
Amid The preparations for departure, |
he, Montressor, Dsnvers (aow aidecamp
to General Tremayne, temporarily, |
and others who had come 1